Film reel



G. PASSAVANTI.

FILM REEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-8.1919.

1 ,408,425 Patented Feb. 28, 1 922.

I- Q Int/lewd v2 02 @z /uvzalo WW UNE'FED STATES GERARDO PASSAVANTI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FILM REEL.

Application filed February 8, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERARDO PASSAVANTI, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Film Reels, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a new film reel which possesses the advantage to bring the film winding process to a degree of reliability hitherto unattained by similar contrivances of this class.

Another object of this invention is to provide a film reel hub with a plurality of finger grooves, the purpose being two-fold; first, to secure the end of the film to the reel; and, second, to facilitate the removal of the reel from the reel case.

Another object of the invention is to so shape the groove, that the finger is substantially locked therein during the film securing operation.

his has been accomplished by a novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification and in which: Figure l is a general perspective view of a film reel mad in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is another perspective view of the hub, with one of the end disks attached thereto.

Figures 3, 4 and '5 are sectional cuts of the hub showing in their different positions, together with the different adjustments underone by the film, represented in the drawings by a broken line, the consecutive operations in their relation to the process of winding.

The basic principle whereupon this invention rests is structurally embodied in the hub A, Figure 2, in which a substantial departure from existing types of hubs is man ifestly' apparent by the presence of a plurality of U-shaped hollows or finger grooves C, C C C cutting the peripheral surface tranversally and carved through, or bent inwardly, according to the material used (generally wood or sheet metal) in such a manner as to be spacious enough to allow ones finger, when holding a film therein and in being withdrawn therefrom, such a freedom of movement as is consistent with the operation said finger is called up n t p form Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Serial No. 275,772.

The groove C is not semi-cylindrical, but is partly closed, so that a slot is formed in the periphery of the hub, and this slot is of such width as to permit the passage of the thickness of the finger, and the groove is then broadened out to the width of the finger. So that in operation, the small dimension of the finger, that is the thickness, is passed through the slot, and then when the finger is turned it is locked in the groove and prevented from slipping therefrom. \Vhen a semi-cylindrical or other open groove is used, there is nothing to prevent the finger from slipping from the groove during the securing operation.

I have shown the hub as provided with a plurality of grooves C, and for particular reasons. While it will be understood, of course, that only one groove is used to secure the film, yet delays are avoided by having a groove for each opening in the frame, for when only one groove is provided it is necessary for the operator, in the darkness of the magazine, to feel through the various frame openings until he finds the one that has the groove alined therewith.

An even greater importance of the pro-.

vision of a plurality of'grooves, is found in the means it presents for the ready removal of the reel from its case. The reel cases are practically always dented, and otherwise deformed, from rough handling, and in the present practice, it is usually necessary in removing the reel, to insert a tool in the narrow space between the periphery of the reel and the wall of the case. this operation often resulting in damage to the reel, the film, or both. By the provision of two or more grooves the fingers are merely inserted in the grooves and the reel quickly and easily removed from the case. It will be obvious that this cannot be accomplished where only one groove is provided.

Except in those few cases in which this hub may be used without the specially constructed enddisks it is mounted between,

the grooves would be of no avail were it not for the provision I have embodied in my new type of frame or end disk F, Figure 1 and 2, whereby accessibility to the grooves has been secured by shapin and registering perforations or openings? P P P in such a way as to serve this purpose.

Film winding, with the substantial help of this improved film reel, besides gaining in' quickness, becomes a certainty; for the operator of a projecting machine is no more worried at the cheating propensities of finger springs out of order, or at slotted hubs that will not take in, or if they do, let the film slip off easily, with very unpleasant consequences.

After my reel has been properly fastened in place in the take up, or lower magazine in the usual way the winding of the film is accomplished in the following manner:

(1) A length of film s'ufiicient to pass from underneath the hub A, Figure 3, up to and a little above the periphery of the end disks, is pulled down from the projector M.

(2) Holding the end E with the left hand, insert a finger of the right through one of the perforations, more properly the upper one, so that said finger should take towards the film the position shown in F.

(3) Press down toward and into the cavity or finger groove beneath and hold the film therein well tight under the finger, F i ure 4.

4) Leave end E, and with the now freed left hand, grasp film in G, Figure 4, bending it toward E, so that it may tighten around hub A, as shown by the dotted line.

(5) Give at this moment a turning movement to the reel, in the direction marked by arrows, by pressing the finger L against wall of cavity wherein it is holding the film until hub A has reached he position shown in Figure 5.

(6) Finally and when the film has been pulled down from the projector M and is well stretched around hub A, finger L mac;

be withdrawn from cavity P and loop formedtherein and the the machine.

As the disengaging of the film from hub A depends primarily u on the extrication of loop G from cavity F to set free end E; the frictional contact established therebetween by the manner the film has been set for winding, will oppose to the tortuous course end E is compelled to follow to exoperator may start tricate itself, a resistance which has been found to be more than sufiicient to prevent it. p

Before concluding it is well to .point out that, while I have described a form of wooden hub formed with aplurality of finger grooves in reality it is only one of them that can be used at a time, and that 'inasmuch as the functional properties of the variously defined grooves will be not affected by unessential modifications concerning their size or shape, or their distribution around the huh, I have omitted any allusion to such seemingly possible departures, as well as any reference concerning structural niceties one may feel inclined to introduce in the body of my end disks having nothing to bear upon the basic principle this invention has originated from.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A film reel including a hub, said hub having a plurality of finger grooves therein, said grooves being so arranged as to present means for removing the reel from its case.

2. A film reel including a hub, said hub having a plurality of grooves to facilitate removal from its case, said grooves being diametrically opposed.

3. A film reel including a hub, said hub being provided with a pluralit of finger grooves substantially'parallel w1th the axis of the hub, said grooves being so arranged as to present means for removing the reel from its case.

4. A film reel including a hub, said hub being provided with a slot and a finger groove, said groove being of greater width than said slot and communicating therewith.

5. A film reel including a hub, said hub provided with a finger groove, the walls of the finger groove approaching to form a relatively narrow slot communicating therewith. the slot being of sufiicient breadth to permit the passage of the thickness of the finger.

6. A reel comprising a hub and side flanges, said hub being provided with a plurality of finger grooves, one of said flanges being provided with openings in substantial alignment with said grooves, said I grooves and openings being so arranged as to present means for removmg the reel from its case.

7. A film reel including a hub and side flanges, said hub being provided with a plurality of finger grooves, the walls of said grooves approaching to form a relatively narrow slot communicating therewith, said flanges being provided with openings insubstantial alignment with the grooves, the grooves and openings being so arranged as to present means for removlng thereel from its case.

8. A reel comprising a hub and side flanges, one of said flanges being provided with openings, and means within said hub by which the reel may be removed from its case.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GERARDO PASSAVANTI.

Witnesses:

NURIEN GUANVIERE, SALVATORE CAPUTO. 

